Those happy and smiling 1981 faces of Rickwood Field

Those happy and smiling 1981 faces of Rickwood Field
These folks seemed delighted Tuesday that at least Birmingham - if not the major leagues - has baseball for the summer (L-R) Gwyn Andrews, Don Lupo, Kristine Gilbertson, Mutt McReynolds, Martha Collins
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Dale Stone - the Barons' 100,000th fan a the season - proudly displays plaque
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Big Barons comeback puts 9-7 eclipse on Suns
By Wayne Martin
News sports writer
If you could pick the races like Art Clarkson sets goals, you'd be a millionaire.
Clarkson, the Birmingham Barons general manager, doesn't like talking about his goals until he reaches them - sort of like placing your bet after the horses have crossed the finish line.
Tuesday night the Barons came from behind to beat Jacksonville 9-7 at Rickwood Field, and another of Clarkson's goals is being met.
"Goals are for me to judge the performances of myself and the people working here," Clarkson said shortly after the 100,000th fan of 1982 had passed through the gate.
"The last thing I want is for someone to come out here because I have set a goal. My only real goal is to provide an inexpensive, entertaining way for a family or a young man and his date to spend an evening.
"If I reach that goal, the other goals are secondary. If I reach that first one, I know the others will be reached. I feel we are well on our way to reaching that first goal, as indicated by 100,000 fans at the halfway point of the season.
See Barons, Page 6C
Barons
*From Page 1C
"My long range goal is to build upon the strong foundation of baseball fans in this city," Clarkson added. "That's not this year, but this year is a part of it. It's happening."
DALE STONE CAME to the park early Tuesday, just to be the 100,000th customer. He sweated in the late afternoon heat from 4:30 until the gates opened at 6, then was awarded a Barons cap, a bat and an autographed baseball.
Stone, a Barons season ticket holder, admitted he'd really rather be at a hockey game. "I never missed a hockey game," he said. "I've missed about three baseball games. I really wasn't a baseball fans before the Barons came, but I'm getting that way."
A total of 3,546 fans - some who remember other 100,000-years - joined Stone Thursday night and watched the Barons go 2-0 for the second half of the season.
"We wanted to average 2,500 for May, and we did," Clarkson said. "We wanted 3,000 for June, and we're at about 3,200.
Yes, I'm plased with the way the season has gone. I have some good people working with me."
JACKIE SMITH (4-9) got the win Tuesday in relief of Mark Dacko, but the big news was Steve Quealey who picked up his third save since joining the Barons from Columbus.
But Quealey's big bragging point is the fact that he has not given up a run in his 16 and two-thirds innings of work.
"Sometimes changing organizations like that will give a kid a new lease on life," said Birmingham field manager Roy Majtyka.
"He has great control, he changes speeds, and he keeps them guessing."
Quealey is excited about coming to Birmingham. "I was pleased with the opportunity to start fresh," he said. "I had been in the Houston organization three years. Now with Detroit I have the opportunity to move."
"And the fans here are great. There are more of them, and they seem to know more about the game." Quealey came to Birmingham with a 2-0 record and two saves.
Jacksonville jumped on Dacko for five runs and six hits in two and 2/3 innings, then Smith came on and worked four innings. Birmingham scored four in the fourth to tie it at 5-5, then four more in the fifth to make Smith the winner.
Howard Johnson had a three-for-four night, including his 13th home run of the season. Glenn Wilson and Mike Laga had two hits each, and Wilson, Johnson and Vern Followell drove in two runs each.
Jacksonville picked up 11 hits, led by Jim Atkinson and Mark Ryal with three each. Dave Leeper and Atkinson had homers in the seventh to chase Smith.
BARONS NOTES - Pitcher Paul Josephson was sent to Lakeland today, and Mike Beecroft placed on the disabled list. Taking their places on the roster are Bruce Robbins off the disabled list and Mike Chris down from Evansville. Robbins, 3-2, will pitch tonight for the Barons. The two pitchers gone from the roster now make nine who have come and gone through Rickwood this season.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Down through the years of Rickwood's 100 000's
The Birmingham Barons have drawn over 100,000 people 36 times since 1915. The current season total hit the 100,000 mark Tuesday night.
The following is a list of all Birmingham seasons of 100,000 or more.
Year Attendance
18. 1925 182,560
19. 1952 177,898
1. 1948 445,596 20. 1931 175,877
2. 1949 421,305 21. 1920 172,475
3. 1950 372,089 22. 1921 160,734
4. 1947 323,309 23. 1946 157,823
5. 1927 299,150 24. 1922 146,678
6. 1951 297,366 25. 1915 135,855
7. 1928 261,824 26. 1957 133,913
8. 1926 233,559 27. 1938 129,343
9. 1953 207,612 28. 1924 125,540
10. 1929 202,571 29. 1959 120,618
11. 1955 201,570 30. 1960 118,807
12. 1923 199,079 31. 1917 115,090
13. 1936 198,391 32. 1942 113,937
14. 1956 194,997 33. 1937 113,364
15. 1954 186,310 34. 1961 112,217
16. 1958 184,682 35. 1981 103,546
17. 1930 183,158 36. 1916 100,751

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Those happy and smiling 1981 faces of Rickwood Field
These folks seemed delighted Tuesday that at least Birmingham - if not the major leagues - has baseball for the summer (L-R) Gwyn Andrews, Don Lupo, Kristine Gilbertson, Mutt McReynolds, Martha Collins
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Dale Stone - the Barons' 100,000th fan a the season - proudly displays plaque
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Big Barons comeback puts 9-7 eclipse on Suns
By Wayne Martin
News sports writer
If you could pick the races like Art Clarkson sets goals, you'd be a millionaire.
Clarkson, the Birmingham Barons general manager, doesn't like talking about his goals until he reaches them - sort of like placing your bet after the horses have crossed the finish line.
Tuesday night the Barons came from behind to beat Jacksonville 9-7 at Rickwood Field, and another of Clarkson's goals is being met.
"Goals are for me to judge the performances of myself and the people working here," Clarkson said shortly after the 100,000th fan of 1982 had passed through the gate.
"The last thing I want is for someone to come out here because I have set a goal. My only real goal is to provide an inexpensive, entertaining way for a family or a young man and his date to spend an evening.
"If I reach that goal, the other goals are secondary. If I reach that first one, I know the others will be reached. I feel we are well on our way to reaching that first goal, as indicated by 100,000 fans at the halfway point of the season.
See Barons, Page 6C
Barons
*From Page 1C
"My long range goal is to build upon the strong foundation of baseball fans in this city," Clarkson added. "That's not this year, but this year is a part of it. It's happening."
DALE STONE CAME to the park early Tuesday, just to be the 100,000th customer. He sweated in the late afternoon heat from 4:30 until the gates opened at 6, then was awarded a Barons cap, a bat and an autographed baseball.
Stone, a Barons season ticket holder, admitted he'd really rather be at a hockey game. "I never missed a hockey game," he said. "I've missed about three baseball games. I really wasn't a baseball fans before the Barons came, but I'm getting that way."
A total of 3,546 fans - some who remember other 100,000-years - joined Stone Thursday night and watched the Barons go 2-0 for the second half of the season.
"We wanted to average 2,500 for May, and we did," Clarkson said. "We wanted 3,000 for June, and we're at about 3,200.
Yes, I'm plased with the way the season has gone. I have some good people working with me."
JACKIE SMITH (4-9) got the win Tuesday in relief of Mark Dacko, but the big news was Steve Quealey who picked up his third save since joining the Barons from Columbus.
But Quealey's big bragging point is the fact that he has not given up a run in his 16 and two-thirds innings of work.
"Sometimes changing organizations like that will give a kid a new lease on life," said Birmingham field manager Roy Majtyka.
"He has great control, he changes speeds, and he keeps them guessing."
Quealey is excited about coming to Birmingham. "I was pleased with the opportunity to start fresh," he said. "I had been in the Houston organization three years. Now with Detroit I have the opportunity to move."
"And the fans here are great. There are more of them, and they seem to know more about the game." Quealey came to Birmingham with a 2-0 record and two saves.
Jacksonville jumped on Dacko for five runs and six hits in two and 2/3 innings, then Smith came on and worked four innings. Birmingham scored four in the fourth to tie it at 5-5, then four more in the fifth to make Smith the winner.
Howard Johnson had a three-for-four night, including his 13th home run of the season. Glenn Wilson and Mike Laga had two hits each, and Wilson, Johnson and Vern Followell drove in two runs each.
Jacksonville picked up 11 hits, led by Jim Atkinson and Mark Ryal with three each. Dave Leeper and Atkinson had homers in the seventh to chase Smith.
BARONS NOTES - Pitcher Paul Josephson was sent to Lakeland today, and Mike Beecroft placed on the disabled list. Taking their places on the roster are Bruce Robbins off the disabled list and Mike Chris down from Evansville. Robbins, 3-2, will pitch tonight for the Barons. The two pitchers gone from the roster now make nine who have come and gone through Rickwood this season.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Down through the years of Rickwood's 100 000's
The Birmingham Barons have drawn over 100,000 people 36 times since 1915. The current season total hit the 100,000 mark Tuesday night.
The following is a list of all Birmingham seasons of 100,000 or more.
Year Attendance
18. 1925 182,560
19. 1952 177,898
1. 1948 445,596 20. 1931 175,877
2. 1949 421,305 21. 1920 172,475
3. 1950 372,089 22. 1921 160,734
4. 1947 323,309 23. 1946 157,823
5. 1927 299,150 24. 1922 146,678
6. 1951 297,366 25. 1915 135,855
7. 1928 261,824 26. 1957 133,913
8. 1926 233,559 27. 1938 129,343
9. 1953 207,612 28. 1924 125,540
10. 1929 202,571 29. 1959 120,618
11. 1955 201,570 30. 1960 118,807
12. 1923 199,079 31. 1917 115,090
13. 1936 198,391 32. 1942 113,937
14. 1956 194,997 33. 1937 113,364
15. 1954 186,310 34. 1961 112,217
16. 1958 184,682 35. 1981 103,546
17. 1930 183,158 36. 1916 100,751